Windshield warmer



1936' R. B. EVANS ET AL 2,056,776

WINDSHIELD WARMER Original Filed Aug. 28, 1933 1N VEN TORS. Robe-r2 B-fyarrs, Earl 14. Fa Z;

A TTORNEY5.

Patented 0a. 6,- 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDSHIELD WARIHERRobert B. Evans, Grosse Pointe, and Earl W. Dilg and George Germann,Detroit, Mich., assignors to E. S. Evans and Sons, Detroit, Mich.,acorporation of Michigan 10 Claims.

ing upon the affected area of the windshield in such form that it willafiect the visibility therethrough, and is a division of our applicationfor Letters Patent of the United States for Improvements in windshieldwiper, filed Aug. 28, 1933, Serial No. 687,062.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of means forconducting heat to one or .more areas of the windshield of a motorvehicle from the lubricating oil of the lubrication system of theinternal combustion engine driving the vehicle; the provision of meansin heat conducting relation with respect to the windshield of a motorvehicle and means for circulating lubricating oil from the enginetherethrough; the provision of a metallic heat conducting membercontacting the windshield of a motor vehicle and thermally associatedwith the lubrication system of the internal combustion engine for thevehicle by means of lubricant circulating ducts; the provision of a heatconducting element as above described character resiliently maintainedin heat conducting relation with respect to the windshield; theprovision, in combination with a windshield wiper for a motor vehicleobtaining its source of power from the lubrication system of the engineby means of lubricant ducts connected thereto, of means in heatconducting relation with respect to one of said ducts and with thewindshield of the vehicle whereby to cause an area of said windshield tobe warmed; andthe provision of such means so constructed and arranged asto prevent excessive heating of the windshield.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the sameconsists in certain novel features of construction and combinations ofparts to be hereinafter described :with.re'ference to the accompanyingdrawing, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment ofthe present invention and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several different views,

Fig. l is a more or less diagrammatic, partially broken, partiallysectioned, side elevational view of a motor vehicle showing a windshieldwiper mounted in the conventional location thereon and connected withthe lubrication system of the internal combustion engine power plant forthe motor vehicle, a heat conducting element being mounted in heatconducting relation with respect to the connection between the engineand the windshield wiper and in heat conducting relation with respect toa portion of the windshield of the motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, partially broken, elevational view of the rearface of the windshield wiper and .windshield warming attachment shownmounted on the motor vehicle in Fig. 1 and looking from the rear of thevehicleas on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a motor vehicle of conventionalconstruction is indicated as having the usual internal combustion engineindicated generally as at Ill providing the source of power therefor,and a body l2 having a windshield located in the conventional positionand provided at its upper edge with what is commonly termed a windshieldheader bar IS. A windshield wiper structure indicated generally I8 issuitably mounted upon the header bar l6 and is provided with a forwardlyextending shaft 20 to vwhich is secured a wiper arm 22 which in turncarries at its free end a windshield wiper plate 24 which may be of anysuitable or conventional construction. The windshield wiper I8 isadapted to be driven by lubricating oil under pressure transmittedthereto from the pressure lubricating system of the engine In and forthis purpose a tube 26, connected with the discharge side of the oilpump 28 located in a conventional position in the lower portion of thecrank case 30 of the engine III, is suitably connected to the windshieldwiper l8 for the purpose of conducting lubricating oil thereto. A secondtube 32 connected with the discharge side of the windshield wiper I8extends thereirom to within the crank case 38 for the purpose ofreturning oil from the windshield wiper to the crank case. A controlhandle I! is provided to control the operativeness of the wiper l8 andconsequently, the circulation of lubricant to and from the same. Theparticular means for accomplishing this is fully described in the.previously identified parent patent application.

In the broader aspects of the present invention it is immaterial whetheror not the present invention is employed in connection with a windshieldwiper or not, and in a narrower aspect of the present invention it makesno difference what the specific construction of the windshield wiper I8is as long as it is operatedby lubricating oil from the engine oilingsystem, but for the purpose of reference, should it be required, thespecific construction and mode of operation of the particular windshieldwiper I6 shown in the drawing may be determined by an inspection of ourco-pending application previously identified of which the presentapplication is a division. Broadly speaking, all that it is required tounderstand in connection with the present invention is that lubricatingoil from the engine oiling system is cir-- culated through the tubes 26and 32 through a windshield wiper I6 and that, because of the fact thatthe lubricating oil in the crank case of an internal combustion enginenormally attains a temperature in excess of the boiling point of waterduring normal operation of the engine, the

I lubricating oil circulating through the tubes 26 and 32 will berelatively warm or even hot.

The present invention contemplates employing the heat of the oilcirculating through the tubes 26 and 32 for the purpose of warming oneor more areas of the windshield l4 so as to dissipate any snow, ice,frost or fog that may collect thereon and to prevent the formation ofsuch snow, ice, frost or fog on the windshield area ailected once 4 ithas been warmed by the means herein provided.

While in the broader aspects of the invention this result may beobtained by bringing one of the tubes 26 or 32 into direct contact withor in closely spaced relation to the windshield l4, this is ordinarilynot desirable from the standpoint of appearance and for other reasonswhich will hereinafter be specifically brought out and, accordingly, itis preferable to dispose some object formed of thermally conductivematerial between the windshield and one of the tubes 26 or 32 to effectthe desired result. Also, in view of the fact that the lubricating oilin the inlet tube 26 to the windshield wiper 16 will ordinarily behigher in temperature than the oil in the discharge tube 32, suchthermally conductive object ispreferably conected to the tube 26 inorder that it will more efiiciently perform its functions.

Accordingly, the tube 26, as best shown in Fig. i

' 2, is provided with adownwardly offset portion 36 shown located belowthe windshield wiper. i6, adjacent the area of the windshield l4 throughwhich the driver normally watches the road, and positioned below theupper edge of the windshield I4. forward face 46 of material area, andformed preferably from aluminum or some other metal having a relativelyhigh'coefilcient of thermal conductivity, is provided with asemi-cylindrical groove 42 in its rear face in which the portion 36 ofthe tube 26 is closely received so as to provide a maximum area of heatconducting surface between them. A cap member 44 havingasemi-cylindrical groove 46 in its forward face fits 'over the rearportion of the tube section 36 and is drawn into position by clampingscrews 46 so as to securely clamp the member 36 to the tube 26.Preferably, the fit between the cap 44 and the member 36 is such as topermit their mating surfaces to contact and thereby aid in increasingthe heat conducting relation between the tube 26 and the member 36.

The face 46 of the member 36 is preferably .resiliently maintained incontact with the wind- A pad-dike member 36 having a planular' of whichbears against the cap 44 intermediate its ends and resiliently pressesthe cap 44 and consequently the member 36 forwardly so as to bring thesurface 46 into intimate contact with the rear face of the windshieldl4.

From the above it will be apparent that with the construction providedthe hot oil from the crank case 36 of the engine i6 is forced up throughthe tube 26 and then, in the particular case shown, through thewindshield wiper II which acts to a greater or lesser extent to meter orcontrol the otherwise free flow of lubricant therethrough soas not tomaterially interfere with the proper functioning of the enginelubricating system, and then returned to the crank case through the tube32. This hot oil flowing through the tube 26 will heat the member 36which in turn will heat that portion of the windshield in contact withthe face 46 as well as the area immediately surrounding it to such anextent as to prevent ice from forming on the windshield and to melt anyice or any snow that may have collected thereon. As previously stated,in the broader aspects of the present invention it is not necessary thatthe windshield wiper l6 be employed in connection with the tubes 26 and32 and/or the member 36 as it will be apparent that the same result asherein described will occur if the upper ends of the tubes 26 and 32 aredirectly connected together, preferably with the interposition of somemeans to restrict the otherwise free fiow of oil through the tubes so asnot to materially interfere with the proper functioning of the enginelubricating system, so as to permit a circulation of oil through them.In view of the simplicity of such a construction, it is not deemednecessary to illus-.

trate the same in the drawing. It may be noted that although the member36 may become relatively warm in service it will be understood thatbecause of its relatively limited area of contact with the tube 26 ascompared to its area of contact with the windshield l4 through the face46, the heat from the oil in the tube 26. will be distributed over arelatively large area which will thus materially reduce the temperatureat the face 46 of the member 36 so as to eliminate possibility ofoverheating the windshield. Also the temperature of the member 36 willincrease gradually from the time the engine l6 begins to operate and,being constantly in thermal relation with respect to windshield i4, thewindshield l4 will be increased in temperature so gradually as tosubstantially eliminate any possibility of the heat from the member 36causing it to crack. An incidental feature of this construction which,of course, will be apparent to those skilled in the art is that thedevice herein illustrated will aid to a greater or lesser extent incooling the lubricating oil flowing through it andrthereby will aid incooling the oil in the enginccrank case.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the inventiondescribed without departing from the spirit and substance of the broadinvention, the scope of which is cbmmensurate with the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In combination with a motor vehicle having an. engine and a pressurelubricating system. a

'windshield for said vehicle, a heat transmitting member contacting saidwindshield in heat con-- ducting relation, and means in circulatoryconnection with said lubricating system for heating said member.

2. In combination with a motor vehicle having an engine provided with apressure lubricating system and a windshield, a heat transmitting memberin thermal association with said windshield, and means for applying theheat of lubricant in said system to said member,

3. In a motor vehicle provided with an engine having a pressurelubricating system and a windshield, a heat transmitting member heatedby the lubricant in said system, and means for maintaining said memberin contact with said windshield.

4. In combination with a motor vehicle having an internal combustionengine provided with a pressure lubricating system and a windshield, aheat transmitting member thermally associated with said windshield,means for heating said member by the lubricant in said system, and meansresiliently pressing said member into contact with said windshield.

5. In combination with a motor vehicle having an internal combustionengine provided with a pressure lubricating system and a windshield, aheat conducting member contacting said windshield, a tube connected withsaid system and adapted for the circulation of lubricant therethroughand means clamping a portion of said tube in thermal association to saidmember.

6. In combination with a motor vehicle having an internal combustionengine provided with a pressure lubricating system and a windshield, awindshield wiper mechanism for said windshield, a tube connecting saidwindshield wiper mechanism with said system for the purpose of trans-Ierring lubricant to said mechanism for the purpose of actuating it, anda heat conducting member thermally associated with both said tube andsaid windshield for the purpose of heating said windshield.

7. In combination with a motor vehicle having a windshield and an engineprovided with a lubricating system, a windshield wiper associated withsaid windshield, a tube connecting said windshield wiper with saidlubricating system for motivating said windshield wiper, said tube beingin heat conducting relation with respect to said windshield whereby totransfer heat from the lubricant flowing through said tube to saidwindshield for the purpose of warming it.

8. In combination, a motor vehicle'having internal combustion engineequipped with pressure lubricating system and a windshield for saidvehicle, a lubricant actuated windshield wiper means having a wiperblade adapted for movement over the surface of said windshield, andtubing connected with said system for conveying lubricant to and fromsaid windshield wiper means, a portion of the length of said tubingformed to occupy a position adjacent the surface of said windshieldsubstantially within the upper portion of the area covered by said wiperblade and being thermally associated with the windshield within saidarea.

9. In combination, a motor vehicle having internal combustion engineequipped with pressure lubricating system and a windshield for saidvehicle, lubricant actuated windshield wiper means,

means connected with said system for conveying lubricant to and fromsaid windshield wiper means, a heat transmitting member detachablyassociated in thermal relation with said lubricant conveying means andsaid windshield, and means carried by said windshield wiper formaintaining said member in said association with the windshield.

10. In combination, a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engineequipped with a pressure lubricating system and a windshield, awindshield wiper mechanism secured to said vehicle in operative relationto said windshield, a heat conducting member thermally contacting saidwindshield for the purpose of directly transferring heat thereto, meanssupported by the wiper mechanism for holding said member in contact withsaid windshield, and lubricant conducting means connected to saidpressure lubricating system and said wiper mechanism for effectingoperation of the latter and thermally contacting said heat conductingmember to heat the latter.

a ROBERT B. EVANS.

E. W. DILG. GEORGE GERMANN.

